The present invention relates to the communication field, and in particular, it relates to the management of equipment resources.
Terminal devices, such as mobile phone terminals, handheld computers, notebook computers, plug-in equipment, vehicle-mounted systems, are all important components of the overall mobile operating service system. Recently, the ever-growing demand for terminal devices with more complete and complex features has also led to the increased probability of generating a whole set of new problems related to terminal devices. To effectively ensure a good user experience, enhance user loyalty, maintain high quality service, as well as provide low-cost and efficient maintenance of the equipment, all service providers and terminal manufacturers are very concerned about technology related to the management, diagnosis and maintenance of terminal devices.
The prior art relates to the present invention proposes a DM system framework, protocol, and communication mechanism for the management of terminal devices based on OMA (Open Mobile Alliance) and DM (Device Management) standard definition. The core of this proposal is as follows: the DMS (Device Management Server) sends out the relevant operation command, such as Add (add), Copy (copy), Delete (delete), to the MO (Management object) of the management tree stored in the terminal device using the OMA DM protocol, to manage device resources via operation of the management tree.
The existing technology is based on a DM system framework defined by the OMA DM standard. The stated framework, as shown in FIG. 1, includes the DMS (Device Management Server) and the terminal unit. DM Agent (DM Agent) and management tree are configured to the aforementioned terminal device. The aforementioned DM Agent is responsible for decoding the content of the OMA DM protocol, converting the management operation command sent by the DMS into an executable command by the terminal, and notifying the terminal to execute. The aforementioned management tree organizes all usable management objects in the terminal unit into a tree-structure, for example, the tree-structure shown in FIG. 2. Each management object may contain a set of environment configuration parameters in that unit, different types of objects, the relevant operation and certain triggering mechanisms, etc. The management objects are identified by the unique URI (Unified Resource Identity).
Based on the aforementioned DM system framework, the DM server manages terminal devices by carrying out activities such as error detection, diagnosis, and repair, as shown in the flowchart 3, which includes the following:
Step 1: A user calls the Customer Center of the service provider to report a terminal device issue.
Step 2: The Customer Center queries the terminal device reported by the user through the device management server.
Step 3: The terminal device reports the relevant configuration information to the DM server; the DM server diagnoses the configuration information and selects the adequate application program.
Step 4: The DM server requests the user for authorization, and queries the user whether or not downloading an application is necessary.
Step 5: User grants authorization.
Step 6: DM server performs installing, running, or deleting the application in the aforementioned terminal device.
The terminal device carries out repair operations according to the application issued by DM server.
Step 7: The terminal device sends confirmation information to DM server to report that error has been repaired.
It is clear that the aforementioned technical proposal of the existing technology has the following drawbacks.
With the existing technology, the user must request the Customer Center for assistance when the terminal device encounters a problem. That is, the existing technology does not allow the DM system to monitor the event occurring in the terminal. Certain terminal events, for example, the user modified certain operational parameters of the terminal device; the user downloaded and installed some new software via non-DM route (through Website, WAP site, etc.); or certain applications on the terminal device modified certain parameter settings on the terminal device, etc. are critical to the achievement of optimal device management. If the device management system is capable of monitor terminal events, errors can be prevented in advance. For example, when a user attempts to modify an operational parameter into a wrong value, the terminal monitoring program can alert the user that such a modification can render the operation unusable; or when a user installs new software, the terminal monitoring program can report this event to the device management system for future management. Therefore, management of the terminal device according to monitoring terminal events is needed, in order to prevent and timely eliminate the adverse impact of terminal events on the terminal devices.